Electrical fixture



Feb. 24, 1931. w. A. ADAMS ELECTRICAL FIXTURE Original Filed Jfin l6 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 flab ATTORNEYS.

Feb. 24, 1931. w, ADAMS 1,793,457

ELECTRICAL FIXTURE Original Filed June 16, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVEN TOR. I )Valiar c/l. Jdmma m ATTORNEYS. v

Feb. '24,- 1931. w. A. ADAMS 1,793,457

ELECTRICAL FIXTURE Original Filed June 16, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 v INVENTOR. 5 6/22)" M cfldar/z'a fills ATTORNEYS.

Patented Feb. 24, 1931- UNITED STATES WALTER A. ADAMS, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK ELECTRICAL FIXTURE Application filed June 16, 1925, Serial No. 37,578. Renewed November 23, 1928.

The present invention relates to electrical bracket members of an electrical fixture together so that relative swingingmovement may, take place between the coupling members and, at the same time, the coupling members maybe readilydisconnected. Afurtherobject of the invention is to provide a novel means for limiting the relative swinging movement between two coupling members of an electrical fixture. A still furtherobject of the invention is to provide an electrical fixture of the type having a sliding tube, through one end of which a conductor leads, with novel means which will insulate the conductor from the tube and, at the same time, protect the con ductor against wear by the tube. Another and further object of the invention is to provide in an electrical fixture a novel coupling means between the two parts of the fixture, permitting the relative swinging of the parts while employing an adjustable tension device which will hold the parts in their adjusted positions. Still another and further '30 ob 'ect of the invention is to provide in an electrical fixture a coupling means between 7 two parts of the fixture embodying two coupling elements, each provided with two contacts'cooperating with the contacts of the 5 other coupling arrangement, the coupling arrangements being so connected that relative movement may take place between them and, at the same time, the coupling elements may be readily separated.

To these and other ends, the invention consists of certain parts and combinations of parts, all of which will be hereinafter described, the novelfeatures being pointed out in the appended claims. In the drawings: Fig. 1 is a fragmentary top view of a work ing table, showingthe present invention associated therewith; Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical section through the working table, showing some of the electrical fixtures in elevation;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of one end of an outlet box employed in the fixture;

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 44, Fig. 3: 5

Fig. 5 is a view of the underside of one of the swinging coupling members employed in one of the electrical fixtures;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of one of the movable limiting rings;

Fig. 7 is a side view of the coupling members between a sliding rod and a lamp socket;

Fig. 8 is a section on the line 88, Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary sectional view of the inner end of the sliding rod;

Fig. 1.0 is a fragmentary view'of one end of an outlet box showing another embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 11 is a sectional view of the embodi ment illustrated in Fig 10, showing two cup shaped coupling members in cooperative relation;

Fig. 12 is a section on the line 1212, Fig. 10;

Fig. 13 is a section on the line 1313, Fig. 11; and

Figs. 14 and 15 are two detail views of the I insulating block used in the outlet box of the embodiment shown in Figs. v1O to 13, inso elusive.

Referring more particularly to the embodiment of the invention shownin Figs. 1 to 14, inclusive, 1 indicates a horizontally arranged conduit or piping through which the con- I ductors 2 pass, this conduit being supported in any suitable manner as by one or more uprights 3. In this conduit are arranged outlet boxes 4, each formed, in this instance, with two integral arms 5 extending from opposite sides of the box and near opposite ends thereof. These arms, in this instance, have an upwardly opening cup shaped portion 5 near their outer ends connecting with the outlet box 4, by a passageway 6 through which the conductors 2 may be passed. Between the arms the outlet box is provided in the top with an opening 7 normally closed by a re- Y movable cover plate 8 secured in position by screws 9. The top surface of this cup shaped pose of limiting the swinging movement.

of the retaining member rests. passes through an opening in the retaining outer end 5 of the arm 5 is arranged obliquely to the horizontal plane of the outlet box 4: and mounted to turn upon this surface is a bracket member 10 having an inner disk shaped end formed with a central opening in which an insulating bushing 11 is arranged, this bushing being concentric with the axis of rotation of the inner disk shaped end of the bracket.

In order to support the bracket 10 for swinging movement on the cup shaped portion 5 of the outlet box arm and, at the "same time, to retain the bracket 10 removably in cooperative relation with the outlet box arm, the swinging bracket 10 has a central. boss 12 concentric with its axis of rotation and surrounding the opening through I which the bushing llextends, -An annular seat 13 is provided about the boss 12 and cooperating with this annular seat 18 and the boss is a retaining member 14:,the retaining member having an opening which surrounds the boss 12 to permit the retalmng member to rest upon the seat 13. This retainingmember is mounted upon the outlet box and to this end the outlet box is provided with anot'ch or groove 15 in which a laterally turned end 16 A bolt 17 member it between the annular seat 13 and the seat or groove '15, said bolt engaging in a screw threaded opening in the armo of the outlet box, whereby through a single bolt the retaining plate 14L may be held in engagement with both the swinging bracket member 10 and theoutlet box, while, at the same time, the

pressure on the swinging arm may be 'ad- Provlsion is made for limiting the swinging movement-of the swinging member 10 on' the arm 5 of the outlet box. In this instance, the swinging member has lugs or stops 18 and '19 which are adapted to cooperate with oppositesides of the retaining plate 14 tor-the purin some instances it is undesirable that the swinging member shall not have so great movementasthat provided byth'e two lugs or steps 18 and 19 andin order tostiil further limit the swinging movement, adjustable "stops 20 are provided, which are adjustable between the lugs or stops 18-and'19 for cooperation with the abutments formed by the opposite sides of the bolt 17. These" adjustable stops 20 are, in this instance, formed on rings 21 eachrin bein formed referablv of sheet metal which is pressed upwardly toprovide ribs or pro ections 22 n an annular series on v the upper 'face thereof.' The under face of the swinging member 10' is likewise formed with ribs or projections, indicated at 23, to enter bet-ween the ribs or projections 22 and interlock the ring 21 with the turning member 10 so that one of the rings and its stop20 will swing'with theswinging member. The

other ring is interlocked through the ribs:22

with the first mentioned ring and with the swinging member 10, and the abutment bolt 17 will lie between the two lugs 20 so that not only may the amount of the swinging be varied by adjusting the two lugs 20 relatively to each other, but the field of the swinging may be changed by swinging both lugs 20 relatively to the swinging member 10. Instead of two rings 21, only one may be used as illus trated in Fig. 11 and in this case the lug 20 will limit the movement in one direction and one of the lugs or abutments 18 or 19 will act as "asap in the other direction. In both cases the rings are centered by arcuate projections 1O which are concentric with the axis of turning of the coupling member. A

The swingingbracket member 10 may be of any construction but, in thisinstance, it'has two'e'ars'2t and 24 one of which'is integral with the member 10 and the. other of which is removably interlocked thereto at 2 1. These ears are connected by abolt 25 whioh'is held against turning in an eari2a and its screw threaded portion extends therefrom, the ear 2% being, provided with a hand nut 25 to draw said ears together. Between the ears and turning on said bolt 25 are two: clamping members 26' between whicha tubular bracket arm 27 is held, the tubular bracket arm being,

' when theiclampingmembers 26 are loosened,

adjustable longitudinally. of the clamping members 26 and rotatable about the bolt 25*. it may also be rotated about the longitudinal axis of the arm.

. The tubular bracket arm 27 may have pro: jecting into its inner end an inwardly turned flange 29on'a'ninsulator 30, the insulator Sui rounding the exteriorof theend portion 28 extending over the extreme inner end or" the tubular arm, The exterior of the arm 27 near its inner end is formed with annular grooves 81 in which the insulator 30 is pressed. In this way conductors passing from the arm 5 of the outlet box and through thebushing 10 may enter the inner end of the tubular arm 27 without being short circuited by the arm due to the. wear on the conductors adj acent-the inner end of the arm as the inner end of the arm is insulated and,

at the same time, the insulation provides a large bearingsurface on the inner end of the jected beyond the sidethereot and this pertubular arm so that Wear on the conductor V forated ear is provided on its inner side with a non-circular pocket 36. On the opposite side of this ear 35 is a projecting portion 37 formed with a notch 38. Cooperating with the car 35 to one side of the projection 37 is a perforated car 39 formed on the otl er coupling member 33 and these two ears are held together by a bolt 40, the head of which is set in the noncircular pocket 36 so as to be held against turning therein. This bolt 40 extends through both ears and on the outside of the ear 39 it has a thumb nut 41 which bears against a concavo-con-- jection 37 so as to hold such disk against turning. It will be noted that with this arrangement the thumb nut is in position on the outside of the coupling means where it may be readily reached for the purpose of disconnecting the coupling member or increasing or decreasing the friction between the coupling members.

The embodiment of the invention indicated in Figs. 10 to 15, inclusive, provides for detaching the bracket from the outlet box without requiring the electrical connections to be dewired. In this embodiment the outlet box 4 has in the passageway 6 a block 44 which rests against the shoulder 45 in the passageway 6 of both embodiments, and is held therein by a set screw 46. The conductors 2 extend through this block and electrically connect with two terminals 47 and 48. The terminal 47 extends from the block to the center of the cup shaped member 5 and has a resilient disk-shaped contact portion 47, while the terminal 48 extends from the block inwardly and has an arcuate or curved yielding portion 48 which is concentric with the axis of turning of the swinging member 10. It will be noted that in this embodiment of the invention no modification is required to be made of the outlet box and its integral arm 5, in fact the arms in the two constructions are interchangeable and it is designed this way so that these arms may be employed in either structure, depending upon the requirements of the work. The swinging member 10 is held in position the same as in the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4, but it has been modified to provide terminals thereon with which the conductors 2 may connect. In this instance, the central opening in the swinging member 10 is formed with internal threads in its wall and an insulating block 49 is screwed into this opening and has a shoulder 50 in its lower or inner end engaged by a terminal ring 51 which cooperates with the terminal 48*. This terminal ring forms a shoulder abutting an insulator 48 on the underside of the member 10*. The terminal ring through a pin 52 embedded in the insulator and a conductor 53 also embedded in the insulator connects with the conductors 2 The upper or outer end of this insulalator is engaged by an insulator cap 54 which abuts the upper end of the boss 12 so that with the ring 51, secures the insulator 49 in place in the swinging member 10. The lower end of the insulator 49carries a screw 55 which forms a terminal to contact with the terminal 47 and this screw connects with the conductor 2 by a conductor 56.

It is apparent that should it be desired to removethe bracket for use in other positions or for the repair thereof it is merely necessary to unfasten the bolt 17 when the swing ing member 1O and the parts carried thereby may be disconnected from the bracket arm on the outlet box without in any way being required to disturb the connections in the outlet box.

hat I clan as my invention and desire to see '-'e by Letters Patent is:

1. '1 he combination with an outlet box having openings at opposite ends and a removable cover plate through which the interior of the box may be reached, of an arm ext l ing from one side of box and provie with an opening communicating with the box between the two openings in the ends, the

en d of the arm having a disk-like formation, a swinging member having a disk portion rotatably mounted on the dislelike portion of the arm of the outlet box, the two disk-like portions forming a chamber between them and the disk-like portion of the swinging member having an opening extending in a straight line from the chamber to the outside of said swinging member in line h the axis of turning of said swinging i ember, a tubular lamp carrying arm, means for supporting the lamp carrying arm on the ing member to permit said lamp carry J an axis at right angies arm to swing abor the axis of swinging of the swingirg ment her and also to slide on said swinging member, and a conducting means for electricity leading from the outlet box through the arm thereof, through the opening of the swing" member and into and :ough the tubular arm of the lamp carryii 'm.

2. The combination with two coupling members having relative n ovement about a suitable axis of an insulator extending entirely through one of said members in line With the axis of turning between the members, a contact arranged on the inner end of said insulator, a contact mounted on the other member and having such an engagement with the contact on the insuiator that the two members may turn relatively to each other and means at the outer end of the insulator for connecting a conductor thereto.

3. The combination with an outlet box having a body portion provided with openings in opposite ends through which conductors may lead into and out-or" the box andhaving an openin between said ends, and acover plate closing said, last mentioned opening, of an arm extending 'from the outlet box between the ends thereof and provided Withan openingc communicating with the interior of said outlet box, aninsulator closing said comi-inunication between the arm and the outlet box, and terminals on thearm side of the insulator adapted for electrical connection with the conductors in the outlet box through said insulator. V a

. a. The combination with a chambered outlet box which iselo-ngated and has means at opposite ends for the connection of conductor. 7

con-units thereto, a removable nonrotating sidewall between said conduit connecting 1 means exposing, when; removed, substan 'tially the entire area of the chamber of the 29 box, fastening means operable from the ex;

terior of the box reieasably holding said wall in position, a disk-like member integral with I and arranged on the outer face of one wall of the box between the two conduit connecting ends and provided with an annular exj ternal bearing, the wall ofthe box having an opening leading therethrongh and sur-- rounded by the bearing, the walls of the open-- ing being formed by parts of said wall differ-- 30 ent from the parts forming the opening.

5. The combination with an'elongated outlet box having means at opposite, ends in alignment with each other for connecting with a conductor conduit, an arm projecting from a side wall of the box between the two endsvthereof and having a conductor pase sage leading into the box and a chamber open-' ing its outer end of greater diameter than the conductor passage, said arm being provided 40 at its end with an annular bearing. 7 V

6. The combination with an elongated outlet box having aligned openings at its ends provided with screw threaded walls, and having a side wall removably held in position and, whenremoved exposing substantially. v

the entire chamber of the box of an integral c V v arm projected from another sidewall of the V y c V A box and having a passageway leading into the box and a chamber at its end, thediameter of the chamber being greater than that of the passageway and the outer end of the arm having an annular bearing surrounding the chamber. 7

TALTER A.ADAMS. 

